A very French connection, a brief discourse in commemoration of life and services of the late Louis Pierre Joseph Delpy on his ۱۲۰th birthday anniversary

Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute (RVSRI) turned ۹۵ years old in ۲۰۱۵. Majority of the animal infectious diseases such as rinderpest and anthrax that used to frequently strike the historic Persia are now gone for good or under control owing to the pioneering researches conducted at the institute in the early-mid ۲۰th century in the field of vaccine manufacturing. The earliest such scientific contributions, were truly made by the French eminent veterinarian Dr. Louis Pierre Joseph Delpy who joined the institute in ۱۹۳۱. In his ۱۸ year-long directorship tenure he taught his colleagues fundamentals of vaccinology, basics of modern epidemiology, essentials of infectious disease control disciplines, the art of scientific writing and much more things that changed the institute for ever. This paper reviews the events and turning points in the first ۲۵ years of service of the institute in a chronological way and remarks Delpy’s principle involvements in all of these on the occasion of the ۱۲۰ anniversary of his birth. At the entrance of the institute headquarter building where his bronze bust is placed, visitors can see a memorial etched plate that reads “... The architect of Razi and founder of Archives De L’Institute Razi (Archives of Razi Institute) was an enthusiastic scientist with a creative mind. … For the Razi community, Dr Delpy is gone but not forgotten.”

Keywords:

Archives of Razi Institute , Iran , Vaccine , World Health Organization